Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/267

 immortal by  nature,  take  care  that  you  be  so  by  grace; for sin  is  the  death  of  the  soul.

III. God has  endowed  this  soul  with  many  noble  faculties, chiefly  the  memory,  the  understanding,  and  the will. Your free-will  renders  you  supreme  master  of your  own  actions. Reflect what  returns  you  can  make to the  great  Creator  for  such  favors. At least,  return Him these  faculties  without  spot  or  blemish,  and  beware lest you  suffer  the  reproach,  "Thou  hast  forsaken  the God  who  begot  thee,  and  hast  forgotten  the  Lord  who created  thee." (Deut. xxxii.  18.)

I. Wonderful  combinations  and  perfections  are  discoverable in  the  composition  of  your  body. "Thy hands have  made  me,"  exclaimed  the  enraptured  Job,  "and fashioned  me  wholly  round  about." (Job x.  8.)  Observe with what  variety  of  members  and  senses  God  has  furnished your  body. They are  all  adapted  to  the  convenience of  each  other,  and  of  the  whole  body. Everything is disposed  in  its  proper  place,  so  that  there  is  nothing wanting in  this  stupendous  fabric,  nothing  superfluous. Hence David  cries  out,  "Thou  hast  formed  me  and  hast laid  Thy  hand  upon  me.  Thy  knowledge  is  become wonderful  to  me;  it  is  high,  and  I  cannot  reach  it." (Ps. cxxxviii. 5.)  That  is,  as  St.  Basil  explains  it, "  In  the structure  of  my  body  Thy  knowledge  is  magnificently displayed,  and  I  cannot  reach  it."

II. Every member  of  your  body  is  a  particular  and distinct favor  of  God. Reflect how  wretched  you  would be had  you  been  born  blind,  deaf,  or  dumb. How grateful you  would  be  to  the  man  who  should  restore  to  you